Understanding Substance Use and Addiction Through the Lyrics of Black Sabbath: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Contrary to the notion that heavy metal music glorifies or encourages substance use (Record Labeling, United States Senate, 1985), Black Sabbath's lyrics as a whole weave a cautionary tale of how persistent substance use can hijack free will, become the dominant focus of the affected individual, and produce myriad forms of human misery. The insidiousness of chronic substance use depicted by the lyrics mirrors findings from natural-history studies of individuals with substance use disorders and aligns with neurobiological heuristics of addiction.

Fell on Black Days: Analyzing the Song Lyrics of Chris Cornell for Insight into Depression and Suicide

“…In the case of post-punk frontman Ian Curtis of Joy Division, his lyrics and live performances personified struggles with epilepsy, depression, and interpersonal strain [ 18 ]. The analysis of the lyrics of heavy-metal pioneer Black Sabbath revealed a longitudinal shift in the valence of substance-use references from positive to negative that closely corresponded with increasingly pathological drug use by the band members [ 19 ]. Schwartz [ 27 ] identified several Cornell songs containing lyrics that support the idea that Cornell suffered from depression with mixed features, a clinical presentation that may increase the risk of suicide [ 28 , 29 ].…”

“…This study analyzed all songs containing lyrics written and recorded by Cornell. The study employed a mixed-methods design involving qualitative and quantitative approaches consistent with prior research in this area [ 19 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. These approaches were supplemented using NLP, as described below.…”

“…Tuft et al [ 18 ] examined the song lyrics of Ian Curtis, the frontman of post-punk band Joy Division who died by suicide in 1980; several song references described Curtis’ struggles with epilepsy, depression, and interpersonal strain. In an analysis of song lyrics by Black Sabbath, the pioneers of heavy metal music, Conway and McGrain [ 19 ] found that references to drug use and addiction were common and shifted over time from positive to negative, a pattern consistent with natural-history studies and neurobiological models of addiction [ 20 , 21 ]. Sule and Inkster [ 22 ] inspected the lyrics of “Stan,” one of Eminem’s most popular hip-hop songs, for references to mental illness and identified references to personality disorder, depression, suicidal ideation, and addiction.…”